How sweet it is
by AthenaSmile
Summary: "Sting suddenly thought that Sabertooth and Fairy Tail should have a joint Christmas party this year, and so here I am now, walking towards the guild hall where the party will be held." NaVa (NatsuXMinerva)


_**How sweet it is…**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail. I also don't own the song (the reason for the title).

A/N: Hello. I was about to enter my room when I heard the song from this commercial on TV. Then the idea hit me. It's not that much, I just felt that I wanted to write it. And since I already did, might as well share it, right? So, here's that. Enjoy(?)

* * *

It was nearing the holiday when people gave gifts to other people – ones that they love, cherish, or even just know because of daily exchanges. Yes, it was the Christmas season, or perhaps, just the winter season. The religious concept of "Christmas" wasn't really well-known or even practiced in this region, but who does not like to receive gifts, to have a reason to eat fancy food at least once a year, or to be able to spend a very special time with the people you love, to have your wish granted, just because it was a holiday celebrated in other parts of the world? That's right. A convenient reason like that exists so you could invite that boy you love since time immemorial somewhere for a date, and it won't seem suspicious – at least not to that dense guy that still can't notice that you're in love with him no matter how obvious you made it seem.

"_As the long introduction mentioned, it's currently the winter/Christmas season. I'm currently headed to Fiore's number one guild. It's snowing – that means that even though it's daytime, it doesn't mean that it's not cold. It is, just so you know. Fortunately, I have a thick and warm coat that can keep me warm to a certain extent. What am I doing walking outside when it's so cold and snowing you ask? To Fairy Tail's guild hall no less? You see, after Fairy Tail had won the GMG three years ago, Sabertooth re-established itself. With Sting being the new guild master, he made Sabertooth to be a guild that cherishes its members. This and that happened, and now Sabertooth and Fairy Tail are like sister-rival guilds. Sting and Rogue kept on going to Fairy Tail's guild hall that I sometimes suggest that they should just transfer to Fairy Tail, but only in my mind though. Sabertooth's a guild that was founded by my father, and even though he was the reason I turned into someone so dark, but even so, I simply won't want half of the members transferring just because their current guild master did. It's not a secret that even before the GMG, most members of Sabertooth idolized Fairy Tail – up to now actually. But more to the point! Sting suddenly thought that Sabertooth and Fairy Tail should have a joint Christmas party this year, and so here I am now, walking towards the guild hall where the party will be held."_

I finally arrived at my destination. The place was fairly decorated. The door had a small wooden "Merry Christmas" tacked to it, the beams were wrapped with lights and garlands, the table cloths were replaced with ones that have "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" prints on them, and there was a pine tree that almost touched the ceiling that was also decorated, with a star on top. You could also hear music being played that didn't really have any connection with the occasion.

I was about to head to a table, when a voice called out to me.

"You're here early, Minerva."

It was their barmaid, Mirajane.

"You can go ahead and place your gift on that table and sit anywhere you like.", she said as she pointed at the table in front of the pine tree.

"I'll get you a cup of coffee in a bit, ok?", she ended before going at the bar counter.

"Thank you.", I answered before I proceeded to place my gift. I had the gift in a space pocket because I didn't want to get it wet from the snow (and because I didn't want to carry it.) "Having this power is so efficient."

"_I intended to arrive an hour early before the party's supposed to start. No, I'm not being overly-excited. I have two perfectly logical reasons. First is that, Fairy Tail loves to party. When we were invited to their cherry blossom viewing, we arrived thirty minutes earlier than the time they gave us, and even then, we were late. They just can't wait to start the party that if you don't want to be responsible for taking care of the party's aftermath (this includes cleaning up their mess, stopping their fights, stopping them from destroying public property, and taking care of them) because you're not wasted, arriving an hour earlier will very much help. If I had to clean up the mess anyway, I'd like to cause some of the mess myself. And second was…_

"Natsu! Give me back my present!"

"Just tell me what you brought already. I'll know later anyway!"

"If you'll know later anyway, why do you need to know now?!"

Natsu and Lucy entered the hall running. Well, Lucy was chasing Natsu to be exact.

…_this. I wanted to have a good seat to be able to ignore their flirting."_

I chose the window seat that I usually sit on when I tag along on some of Sting and Rogue's every-other-day visits. I sat in silence, rested my chin on my hand, and stared outside.

"_At least it won't seem unnatural that I'm looking outside than staring at a wall or on the floor, like an idiot, as if there was something interesting on it."_

I took a few glimpses at their direction. Erza had "captured" (knocked out for a few seconds) Natsu and returned Lucy's gift. She saw me looking at them and smiled knowingly. I quickly returned my gaze back outside, my cheeks feeling warmer all of a sudden.

"_That woman! Ever since she convinced me to go back to Sabertooth, she's been as nosy as ever. One of these days I'm going to…"_

"Hey, Minerva. What gift did you bring?", Natsu suddenly asked.

"Huh? Why do I have to tell-", I answered as I turned my face from facing the window to where the voice came from. "-you?!", I shouted in surprise, pulling my body back since his face was so close to mine.

"You don't need to shout at me, you know.", he said, mid-yank. " Jeez, I was just asking. Do you hate me or something?"

"N-no…"

"Well, let's enjoy ourselves, ok?", he said while leaving.

While I was left to think about what just transpired and calm down the erratic beating of my heart, he went back to that blonde. Apparently, a decor fell from the middle section of the Christmas tree, so she decided to hang it back. She was descending when someone carrying a stack of boxes accidentally bumped the folding ladder she was on. She was about to fall when her prince in shining armor came and rescued his princess. They stayed in that princess carry hold for few seconds before they got interrupted by the one who bumped on the ladder to apologize.

"_That blonde bitch. Get off him already! You don't need to flirt in public!"_

And as if a work of fate, the music in the background changed onto the next song.

"_**How sweet it is to be loved by you~**__** "**_

"_Great, even the fates are on to me now? What a cruel joke…"_

I hunched my upper body forward on the table, my head resting on my arm. I stared back outside through the window. It was snowing less, and the sun was shining brighter.

"Hah. I wish you were mine, Natsu…", I softly whisper to the cold air.

"_No! Minerva does not mope. Snap out of it! You're in a party. They'd get suspicious."_

And so, after a couple of minutes passed, the party did begin thirty minutes prior the time set. It wasn't that grand. It was just a simple party with food, drinks, party games, mini rumbles, tables crashing, chairs flying, a cake squashed, and the mini rumble evolving into a huge rumble. After a while, their guild master stood on the table in front of the decorated Christmas tree.

"Okay you brats! It's time to exchange gifts!", Makarov shouted, grabbing the attention of everyone.

Everyone got back on their tables, sat in silence, and listened for the event's mechanics.

"Like I explained before, I hope that you all brought gender-neutral gifts.", he stated, trying to confirm. Everyone just nodded to this.

"Ok, I stamped magic rune numbers on each of the gifts so we can proceed with it quickly." As he said this, the presents glowed different colors and numbers on the wrappings' surface.

"I'll pass around this box that will randomly stamp an invisible rune number as you put your hand in.", he continued while raising a box with a hole on top, designed as a present.

"After everyone got stamped, the numbers will reveal themselves then the presents with the respective numbers would fly towards you. But don't open them yet! We open them at the same time.", as he said this, he gave the box to the nearest person.

After a while, the box reached me and it was my turn to "get" a number. A stray thought came by.

"_I wish I get Natsu's…"_

As I was putting my hand on the hole, I felt a number of stares at me.

"_Let's just get this over with."_

I disregarded the stares and passed the box to whoever was next.

"Okay! Now that everyone has them…", Makarov stated, stopping mid-sentence.

The numbers popped out and the gifts came flying in front of respective number holder, and they started counting.

"1! 2! 3! Open the presents!"

I did not open mine. Instead, I put it in a space pocket, and stood up. I wasn't noticed as most were standing anyway. I darted towards the door after hearing the last announcement.

"Well, that's it. See you all tonight at the after-party!"

"_Typical party lovers."_

I walked on the slightly snowy pavement back to the hotel I was staying at. It was starting to get dark already. The lights on the street were up, and so were some of the different establishments facing the road. The sky was clear, a few stars already seen, the moon shining faintly. It wasn't snowing anymore.

"_I wonder if I got Natsu's present…or maybe if Natsu got mine... Haha, in my dreams maybe.."_

I slightly raised my head and stared at the moon.

"_I bet Natsu's with Lucy right now, flirting…"_

I got dejected at my own thought.

"_What am I doing getting myself down. Pathetic."_

"Mi-…-va!", a faint call came from behind.

"_Well, it's because of Natsu after all…"_

"Minerva, I said!"

A hand grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to stop. I turned to see who it was.

"_Well speak of the devil."_

"What do you want?", I asked.

"Hehe.", he laughed while puffing his chest out.

"What?", I asked again. That's when I noticed that he was wearing a familiar different coat from the usual one he wore. It was the coat I bought for the exchange gift.

"_He got my-"_

"I got your present. Thanks.", he stated the obvious.

"I can see that."

A short silence.

"Do you like it?"

"I wouldn't come to thank you if I didn't, now would I?"

"Well, you could just thank me some other time.", I turned and started walking.

"Ah no, that's…not the only reason why…", he walked behind me, his tone made me feel as if he was staring at the floor.

We walked a few steps in silence before he started again.

"What about you? …What did you get?", he asked a bit hesitantly.

"I don't really know. I haven't opened it yet."

"Then open it! Open it now.", he shouted excitedly.

"If I open it, would you quiet down?", I turned my head to look at him.

He nodded with a smile, so I took it out from a space pocket. It was a dark green box tied with a red ribbon. I pulled the ribbon, and opened it.

I felt arms wrapped around my waist.

"Merry Christmas, Minerva.", a whisper on my ear.

"_Huh? What? He's hugging me. Natsu's hugging me!"_

My mind worked in overdrive. I tried to think how this was happening.

"_Did he like the coat that much? I don't remember saying anything that nice to him either. Think, Minerva, think."_

It's not like I hated what was happening. I just didn't want it to be a joke. If his intention was different from what I was thinking, if his intention was just to surprise me, then I don't think I'd be able to take it.

"Do you like it?", Natsu asked in a whisper, his arms still around me.

I tried to think what he meant when I finally recognized the design on the scarf. I pulled it out of its box and saw a cute dragon head at one end, and a cute sabre-tooth cat head at the other.

"Yes…I like it.", I finally answered, leaning my head on his.

"Merry Christmas, Natsu."

* * *

[Extra]

"By the way, how did you know that I got yours?"

"Well…"

.

_[flashback]_

"_So, Natsu…how do you like Minerva's gift?", Makarov asked with a smirk._

"_W-well, I…Hey! How are you so sure that I got hers?"_

"_The whole random thing is a lie, my boy. The numbers were pre-determined. From the start, you were to get Minerva's present, and she was to get yours. Didn't you choose your present with Minerva in mind? I asked Mira to tell you. Hahaha!", Makarov teasingly said before leaving in a laugh._

* * *

_And there ya go. What do you think? I intended it to be sadder. Maybe I'd add an alternative ending to it some time.  
_


End file.
